Direction signal



Aug. 4, 1925.

A. RITSKY v DIRECTION SIGNAL File March 12, 1924 ANTHONY RITFJKY; OF Nt'iRlI'E-Z :SROQKFEEEILD, MASSACHUSETTS.

DIREWHUN IGNAL.

A mlication filed hiareh '12, 19%.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTHONY RrrsKY, a

citizen of the United States residiw at 1 2' North Broolrfield, in the county of l vercester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Direction Signal,

of which the following is a specification- This invention relates to a direction sig nal for automobiles operated by internal combustion engines.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide for the operation of a direction signal by suction by connecting the same with the engine" and regulating it with but tons within convenient reach of the operator in the car; also to provide a convenient mechanical arrangement by which the direction signal can be operated in' the manner specified and one that is compact and neat and can be put on the mud guard and conneeted up with the engine without any serious alterations in the car.

Reference is to be had to the ing drawings, in which.-

Fig. 1 is a front sectional view of a pre-- ferred embodiment of this invention applied to the mud guard of an automobile which is shown in transverse section;

Fig. 2 is aplan of the same with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is an end view;

Fig. 4 is a. sectional view of a part of the dash inside the car showing means for connecting and disconnecting the signal with the power and illustrating diagrammatically the connection with the engine; and

Fig. 5; is a sectional view on the liric li -5 of Fig. 4.

I have shown the invention as applied-to one of the mud I although of course it can be applied to both of them if desired. The signal itself comprises a base 11 having three upstanding walls 12, 13 and 1 1. In practice these walls may be about an inch high or even less in some cases. The two walls 13 and 14 are parallel and spaced rather near together. Between them at their ends there is a solid square sectioned body of metal which extends in from the end of the device the necessary distance and is'bored out to provide a cylindrical passage 15 open at the outer end and constituting a cylinder. This cylinder is closed by a cap 16 at one end and by a similar cap or internai wall 17 at the other. The latter is provided with a perfoll CCOlnPZl l'ly- 'on the other end guards ,10 of an automobile.

Serial No. 698,760.

ration and packing to surround the rod 19 of a piston. Resting on the walls 12, 13 and .14 is a cover 27 to complete the casing.

On the end of the piston rod is a rack 20. Between the walls 13 and 14 are two springs 21 pressing against the ends of the rack. One presses against the cap 17 and the other against a similar cap or wall 22 These are for holding the rack normally in neutral position and resisting yieldingly its movement out of that position. On the side of the Wall 14 there is cast a projection 23 which is bored out and provided with a spring 24: and ball 25 for engaging in a groove 26 in the rack and temporarily holding it in neutral position whenever it goes to that point.

Meshing with the rack is a gear 28 on the bottom of a hollow tube 29 that is adapt ed to seat down over a stationary stud 3O fixed on the base 11. This tubehas at-the top a hollow arrow 31 of any desired material and provided with a row of perforations 32 all around its edge. Within this arrow is supported an electric light 33 supplied by wires 34 from the battery and connected with the headlight switch ofthc car sothat it will be turned on and oil in ac cordance with the headlight.

For the purpose of connecting up the cylinder 15 with the source of power two tubes and 36 are connected with the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston and pass to a suction box 37. Connected with each of these tubes there is a. whistle 38 adapted to operate whenever a current of air passes through it. These two tubes are closed at their ends by valves 39 and a handle 40 resisted by rings 41. The suction is applied by connecting another tubea42 from the box 37 to the intake manifold of the engine. The engine in its operation. creates enough vacuum so that whenever either one of the two buttons 40 is pulled the suction will act to move the piston 19 in one direction or the other and turn the arrow 31 in accordance therewith so that the arrow will indicate the direction which the car is to take. Instead of the pull button construction show a push button arrangement can be used employing ordinary constructions well known.

An additional feature of the invention consists in the provision of a compartment 4A- on the end of the signal arrow 31 with a lamp inside connected up with the battery down through the column 25. This co1npartment is separated from the interior oi the arrow by an opaque wall orwalls and the lamps are lighted either the same time or separately as desired. This lamp in the compartment 44 will illuminate that sep arately. On the rear end-0t this compartment is a transparent or translucient plate having some sign or word to indicate that the vehicle is to slow up or stop and I have shown the word Slow for that pusposc. On top of this I provide a mirror 45 which obviously, when the arrow is pointing ahead, will enable the driver to see what is behind him, this mirror being located transversely on the rear end of the arrow.

The lamp in the compartment -14 connected with an electric push button ill adjacent to the buttons 40 for Connecting up the line-to thelamp that illuminates the slow signal. i

I also findit an advantage to provide an.

additional'button 17 and connect it with the suction box 37 for operating the born from the suction. The method of its operation need not be described in detail as it is the same as that above described.

Of course it will be understood that the slow signal can be operated by the horn button, if desired, Without an extra button, or by the brake lever or the button can he put on under the operatoi"s foot so that when he wants to make the signal he will step on the button and the light will go on to show the signal slow. As soon as he takes his foot oil the signal will be dark. It will be understood that the ordinary electric horn can be removed and the suction horn. used in place of it, as statedoibove. This makes it a three in one cou'iplctc' device consisting of a. signal indicator, slow signal and suction horn.

Even if all these features are not used, the direction signal itself is an important invention. If the driver is going along the road in the usual way and he wishestoturn. to the left for any purpose what. he turns the arrow to the position shown in Fig I. Then when he has turned around on the road onthe left he allows it to come back to neutral so that the arrow assumes the position illustrated in Fig. 3. In this position the operator can look at the mirror 45 and see What is behind him and also when he wishes to slow up he can show the slow signal and turn the arrow utterwards if he wishes to go to. theright or l it. In other words, ii? there is a car following him and he wishes to turn either right or left he operates the button 46 to light p the lamp in the compartment This shows the pint: behind him that he is going to slow up and indicates to that party; that he expects to turn in one direct-ion or the other.

aeesee He then operates the proper button l() to turn the arrow andshow which way he is to turn. serve the signal and there will be no danger of an accident.

' On the other haudit' he is trying to pass another party he will show that up clearly to the driver behind him and also if the party behind him wishes to pass he will know where he is going. This constitutesa very simple device to install, one having very few par'tsthat are likely to wear and get out of order. It re-' quires no additional power and no other drain on the battery except for'the light. It is is running. It cannot be operated when the engine is standin still. Even when the motor is idling sullicient power is generated to operate this device to show howthe driver is going to start hisca'r. The apparatus can be installed very readily without making any important changes in the car and in lact, without even drilling many holes.

It requires no expense in its operation as only a single form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing fromthe scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. There-- fore I do not wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shown and described but what I do claim is 2- 1. In a direction signal, the combination of a cylinder and a piston therein, a pair oi? tubes connected with the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston, a suction box into which said tubes extend, and individual valves for openingand closing said tubes in the suction box, with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine connected 1 to the suction box, a direction signal, means connected with the piston for turning said signal, and IlltlflIlS'fOI' giving an audible sig nal whenever air passes through either of said pair of tubes.

2. In a direction signal, the combination of a supporting base having a pair of walls,

The party behind him will obsafe and sure to operate whenever the engine for centering and holding it in position, and a signal device on top of said shaft and a cover over said base resting on said walls and having a perforation for said shaft.

3. In a direction signal, the combination of a supporting base having a pair of integralwalls spaced apart, a cylinder located between said walls, a piston in said cylinder having a piston rod extending from it, a rack on the end of said piston rod, a pair of springs bearing on opposite ends of said rack and located between said walls for resisting motion of the piston from neutral position, a gear meshing withsaid rackand having a hollow shaft extending upwardly therefrom, a hollow stud on said base extending into the hollow shaft for centering and holding it in position, and a signal de vice on top of said hollow shaft provided with an electric light therein, the wires of which extend down through the hollow shaft and stud, whereby the electric signal Will be turned when the piston is moved, and a cover over said base resting on said walls and having a perforation for said hollow shaft.

4. The combination with a cylinder, a piston therein, a pair of tubes connected with the cylinder at opposite sides of the piston,

a suction box into which said tubes extend, a third tube connected with the suction box for operating a horn, and individual valves for opening and closing said tubes with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine connected to the suction box, adirection. signal, means connected with the piston for turning said signal.

5. The combination with a cylinder, a piston therein, and means connected with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for moving said piston in either direction by suction created by the engine, of a direction signal mounted to turn, means connected with said piston for turning said signal, and means connected with the manifold for sounding a horn.

6. The combination with an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold, of a direction signal, and a slow signal, of means connected with the manifold for mechanically operating said direction signal and a horn at will, and electric means for displaying the slow signal.

7. The combination with a tube, a suction box, tubes extending into it, and individual valves for opening and closing said tubes, of the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine connected to the suction box, and means connected with a hornfor operating it when the proper valve is opened.

8. In a direction signal, the combination of -a signal device mounted to turn so as to point either to the left or right or ahead, means for illuminating it, said device having a separate compartment on the rear and provided with a slow signal, and an independent electric lamp for illuminating the slow signal.

9. In a direction signal, the combination of a signal device mounted to turn s0v as to point either to tlre left or right or ahead, said device having a compartment on the rear provided with a slow signal, an electric lamp for illuminating the slow signal, and a transverse mirror on the rear of the signal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ANTHONY RI'IQKY 

